Gun



F. O. CONILL.

GUN.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 1918.

1,405,291, Patented Jan. 33, 1922;

Elm/Wm F q @QNILJLI,

FEEHAEE G. @QNELL, GE @031 EEEEFERSOBT, NEW YORK.

earner series.

GUN.

Specificatlonof Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 31 1922 dpplicction filed August 7, 1918. Serial No. 248,798.

others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to guns, and more particularly to a gun which is especially adapted for firing projectiles provided with explosive charges for propelling the same from the gun.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a gun of the character stated of simple construction and operation by means of which a projectile me. be slid down the barrel of the gun from t e muzzle end thereof, this projectile being provided with an explosive charge which is exploded through the medium of means provided within the gun.

A further object is to provide a gun having means whereby a projectile to be shot therefrom may be supported w thin the muzzle end of the barrel of the be readily released, when desired,

Further objects will appear from the de tailed description.

The single figure of the drawing is a longitudinal sectional view through a gun constructed in accordance with my invention, as used.

The gun comprises a body 1 which is provided at its base portion with diametrically opposite horizontall projecting trunnions 2 rockably mounts in bearing sleeves 3 formed at the upper ends of spaced supporting standards 4.- carried by a base plate 5 which is adapted to be secured. on a suitable foundation or supporting structure 6. This body comprises a barrel 1 provided with an interior bore of substantially uniform diameter throughout its full length, this bore ccmmunicatin with a frustospherical explosion chamber formed in the rounded base. 8 of the gun. The barrel 1 is provided with a thickened annular portion 1 from which depends an integral relativel heavy lug 9 provided at its lower end witi an integral eye 10 which receives a pivot pin 11 inserted therethrough and through the spaced arms ofa U-member l2 snugly regun so as toceiving this eye. The base bar 12 of this U-member is connected by a loose nut connection, as at 13, to a screw rod 14 threaded through a sleeve 15 which is pivotally secured for movement about an axis parallel with theaxis of pin 11, as at 16, to. the upper end of a standard 17 projecting from base plate 5. The rod 14 may be rotated in either direction by means of a hand' wheel 18 secured thereon so as to readily vary the inclination of the barrel 1*. As

the U-member 12 and the. sleeve 15 are mounted for movement about parallel axes, these members will at all times be maintained in proper alinement so that all pressure which may be exerted on the screw 14 will be transmitted axially thereof thus eliminating possibility of bending or breakage of this member.

This gun is specially adapted for use in connect1on with a shell or projectile which carries the explosive char e for propelling the same from the gun. n the form illustrated, the projectile designated generally by comprises a body portion a from the base of which'depend concentric annular flanges b and c forming an annular chamber for the reception of an explosive charge D, and an lnner tubular chamber at the inner end of which is mounted a percussion cap 6 which communicate with the chamber containlng the explosive charge d by means of ducts f formed throu h the flange so.

I After the gun has con properly set and s1ghted, the projectile is inserted into the muzzle end 1 of the barrel 1 and permitted to slide downwardly therein. As the projectile approaches the lower or base end of the gun, the cap e i's.brought into contact with the upper pointed end of a firing pin 19 which projects upwardly into the barrel 1*, centrally thereof, from a boss 20 formed on the inner face of base 8. This serves to explode the charge d, the explosion taking place in the explosion chamber 7, which results in propelling the projectile from the gun in the well known manner. This eliminates all necessity of providing the usual firing mechanism such as employed in guns now in common use, while permitting the gun to be fired very rapidly. By provlding means whereby the projectiles may be supplied to the upper or muzzle end of the gun in quick succession, a relatively great number of these projectiles may be fired from the gun in a comparatively short time.

the ends of the ward movement lease the projectile, the lever may be rocked To permit the projectile to be lowered'into firin position, t will, I provide a stop mem er which projects into the bore of the barrel Soa's to engage a projectile inserted thereinto and hold it against downward movement, this member being readily movable out of the path of the projectile so as to permit the same to slide into firing position. With this object in view, a bell crank lever 21 is pivotal y mounted intermediate longer arm'22 thereof, as at 23, on a supporting finger 24 projecting from the barrel l The shorter arm 25'of this lever projects through an opening 26 in the barrel into the bore thereof, the lower end of the, longer arm 22 being normally forced away from'the barrel by an expansion coil spring 27. seated in a the under face of the barrel and confined between arm 22 and this ni le. When the lever 21 is in its normal position, arm 25 projects into the bore of the gun and serves as a stop member for positively limiting downthe muzzle end 1? of the barrel, as indicated by dotted lines.

When it is desired to reoutwardly by means of a cable orlanyard 27 the end of whichvissecured through an.

eye 28 formed at the angle of the lever. By

rocking the lever-outwardly, shorter arm- 25 nipple 28 formed on of a projectile inserted into' thereof is 'moved out of the path of the projectile which slides downwardly into firing position, so as to cause explosion of the explosive charge D carried thereby in the manner previously described.

It will be evident that there may be slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the appeneded claims, in this application in which a preferred form only of my invention is disclosed.

What I claim is:

1. In a firing mechanism, a base having spaced standards, a gun pivoted at its breach screw rod havmg a head, a mounting mem- 'ber pivoted to the gun and rotatably receiving the head, means to turn the screw rod, 55

a nut on the rod, and means to mount the nut, v w

' In testimony whereof I aflix 111 Si ature. v FERNAN O. O ILL.

.' Witnesses:

ARTHUR N. RANDALL, MICKEL Noro.

pivotally 

